Two Militants of Iranian Armed Opposition Arrested, One Kills Himself

Published June 8th, 2000 - 02:00 GMT

Two members of Iran's exiled armed opposition, the People's Mujahedeen, were arrested by intelligence agents in the western town of Salehabad, in Ilam

Two members of Iran's exiled armed opposition, the People's Mujahedeen, were arrested by intelligence agents in the western town of Salehabad, in Ilam province, Thursday, but one of them committed suicide, Iranian state television reported.

It said the two, whom it did not identify, were arrested early in the morning. One of them swallowed cyanide as he was being detained.

In a fax received by AFP in Nicosia, the People's Mujahedeen said its fighters had engaged in "extensive clashes" near the city of Ilam, and many Iranian revolutionary guards and intelligence agents were killed or wounded.

The fax made no mention of casualties on the Mujahedeen side.

The Baghdad-based Mujahedeen have claimed responsibility for a number of attacks on targets inside Iran. Their presence in Baghdad is one of the main points of contention still hampering an improvement in relations between Iran and Iraq - TEHRAN (AFP)